NAMI PA, Main Line is a grassroots, nonprofit organization of persons with mental illness, their families and friends, dedicated to improving the quality of life of all those affected by mental illness through support, advocacy and education.
Description
NAMI PA, Main Line is an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness which is a grassroots, family and consumer, self-help, support, education and advocacy organization, dedicated to improving the lives of people with mental illnesses.
NAMI PA, Main Line offers information and support to individuals with mental illness, their families and friends.
We have forums on topics such as specific types of mental illnesses, treatments, resources and coping strategies for individuals with mental illness and their families.
We sponsor a monthly support group for family members .
We sponsor a biweekly friendship group for adults with mental illness .
We offer the Family-to-Family Education Program (F2F) for family members of persons with severe mental illness. This program of 12 weekly two-and-a-half hour sessions is taught by trained family members. It provides support, education, skills training, and crisis intervention help for family members.
We offer the NAMI Basics Education Program, which is similar in concept to F2F, above, except that it addresses the needs of family members--parents, grandparents, and others--who care for a young child or adolescent with mental illness. Topics include types of mental illnesses and emotional disorders as well as instructions on coping skills, dealing with schools, and how to be an advocate.
We have Social events for members, their families and friends.
We send a Newsletter by email monthly (and bimonthly to people who have no email or request a paper copy) to inform members about local meetings and other information relevant for people with mental illness and their families.
This website includes current newsletters and a Mental Health Resource Guide with information on behavioral health services, benefits, housing, employment, support groups, social opportunities, education and advocacy for people with mental illness and their families in Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties.
We give information and provide speakers who share the perspectives of individuals with mental illness and family members with mental health professionals and the public.
We join with other local groups and with NAMI to advocate for improved county, state, and national services for people with mental illness, and to support research for more effective medications and medical treatment. As part of this effort we send Advocacy Alerts by email to members as issues come up in congress or the PA legislature.
Members serve on boards and committees of hospitals and agencies to advocate for the availability of resources and improvement of services for people with mental illness.
